As we celebrate the achievements and highlight challenges facing women across the globe this March, I would like to shine a light on a topic that is often overlooked but underpins our entire economy and society. This is an issue that is personal to me – as a gender equality advocate, as an ambassador, as a mother to four sons. Now is the time to care about care work.
Consequently, unpaid care work exacerbates women’s time poverty. The 2021 National Household Care Survey revealed that Filipino women spend up to 13 hours a day on unpaid care work, compared to only eight hours for men. As you can imagine, this leaves women and girls with little time to study, take part in productive employment or simply have the time for self-care or personal development.
The business case is clear: addressing unpaid care work is a pre-requisite to achieving gender equality. Unlocking women’s full potential in the economy and society is only possible if they are freed from the unequal burden of unpaid care work. In addition to enabling a conducive policy environment for care reforms, Australia is empowering women to thrive in the workplace and as entrepreneurs. By unloading women with the heavy responsibility of unpaid care at home, we give them an equal shot at work. For example, our Investing in Women program support the Philippine Business Coalition for Women Empowerment in influencing big businesses to improve gender equality in their own workplaces.
These are just some of the important steps that Australia is taking in partnership with the Philippines to recognize, reduce and redistribute unpaid care work. But we cannot do this alone. Building a caring society is everyone’s responsibility. I call on our readers to challenge gender stereotypes and equalize care responsibilities, beginning from the comfort of our own homes.